Spartan Academy
by XGlacierskyx
Summary: After the war, John-117 and Kelly-087 started and founded the Spartan academy for the best of the best. Their childen was no expection, they were the best as well. New recruits come and go. Follow these new young warriors as their adventure begins in three...two...Now!
1. Chapter 1

Thom sat on the pelican seat; he sat in grey uniform and clearly a bit nervous. He was on his way to the Academy. The best Academy in existence that ever existed because of who had founded it. The Spartans of legends Master Chief John-117 and Kelly-087, who had helped end the war against the covenant and now lived in an anonymous happy life.

For those who had been chosen and applied to it and recommended by the best there was in the UNSC, The Spartan Academy. Every young soldier's dream was to go there after the war ended and only few were selected by the board. Which, consisted bunch of men and women of the lead members in ONI and UNSC government chosen by the two Spartans after finally getting permission to even open the school in the first place.

Thom had pushed the board into accepting him in the first place because of his age. He'd actually kicked up so much of a fuss that they had to let him in because he got a recommendation from a past Spartan saying that he had surpassed all training that they could give him.

Thom looked around him to the other recruits. They had five others who were just as nervous as him; there were three men all with different hair a red, a blonde, and a curly brown and two girls another blonde (Who Thom was pretty sure that the two were twins) and brunette. He didn't recall they're names and doubted he would. There would be so many names later onto remember.

"So what do you specialise at?" he asked around.

"Stealth" the red answered.

"Heavy weapons" the curly brown said.

"Close quarters combat" the blonde woman said.

"Marksmen" the blonde man said. Well if they were twins they both had required skills in the field that would work for them.

"Technology skills and Demolitions" the brunette answered curtly. "How about you?" she added.

"I'm going for vehicle terms" he responded.

"Good luck, hear that's the hardest one next to leadership skills," the red responded.

"Hey kids cut the chit chat we're almost there and I don't need the instructors on my ass" the pilot snapped behind her at them.

"What can we expect when we arrive?" Thom asked.

"Lots of competition, and lots of pain from training other than that isolation from others especially from the Chief" She answered.

"Master Chief?" The red perked up.

"What? No you idiot! That Chief is a different person entirely! Chief is the lead on the Spartan Academy leader's board, he well is a stuck up prick if you piss him off!" The pilot told him.

"Is he really that much of asshole?" The blonde women asked.

"You have no clue the only person he hasn't managed to piss off is-" the pilot was cut off by the radio first static and then a weak voice.

"This is Deca receive me Bravo I repeat pilot Bravo seven-four this is Deca, receive me?" a voice called through.

"This is Bravo seven four, I receive and will see you and Chief at the front of the academy," Bravo responded.

"Don't be late, I'm guiding you through the maps on the academy maps" Deca's voice came through.

"Don't cut my tip" Bravo teased

"Baby I wouldn't do that if the world ended and you needed the money to stop yourself from dying. Deca out" came Deca's response.

"Who was that?" Thom asked.

"Deca second best in the academy, well actually the best that isn't sponsored," Bravo called over her shoulder.

"Sponsored?" The red asked.

"Yeah it's where you supported by other companies that support the academy and are manufactures, the more sponsors you have the better the training. It costs points, which you gain from doing jobs and missions around the school or given to you by the company of the ones that sponsor you. Trust me you're going to need doing them" Bravo answered.

"Why doesn't she have one?" The blonde woman asked.

"Deca doesn't have one because she's lucky and the fact she hasn't reached above black yet and graduated" Bravo responded.

"Isn't that racist?" Her twin asked.

"No I mean her ranking is black, that's her level of gifted specialties" The pilot landed smoothly inside a metal hanger. "Okay everyone out now, I gotta get my baby to checked up by the profferors this was a test drive and now I gotta go" she undid the back door of the pelican and they all filed out one by one.

"Recruits form a line now" a woman in black clad armour approached them.

She took off her helmet and brown hair with blue tips came out that neatly and straightly formed her face. She had matching dark blue eyes and scanned them all with her sight, watching their every move.

Her accent was almost american with a sound of texan in it. The black armour clad woman placed her hhelmet under her arm and straightened her body posture.

"I'm Deca, before you ask what kind of name it is I suggest you don't because all your names will be changed to fit you. Your expected to be the best and follow orders like the best, don't worry I'm just you orientation guide not your CO at the moment." she informed them.

"What about our armour?" The brunnete woman of their group asked.

"Before you get proper armour, you get simulation. There are five ranks, white, green, blue, red, gold, if you complete these ranks before you graduate you get to chose what color you want your armour. But in the mean time, you earn your spot and you do exactly as your told to the letter, understood?" she barked at them.

Deca looked around their age and yet she was probably even younger than supposed applicants to the academy.

"Yes Sir" they answered in union.

She lifted her head at them

"Well done rooks. Welcome to Spartan Academey"


	2. Chapter 2 beginnings

Thom was lead into what looked like a main hall everyone was sitting down on seats and chattering, when Deca opened the door it went dead silent. The students looked straight at Deca, she stood straight and crossed her arms. "New recruits for callsigns" she nodded her head at them.

"Recruits line up at the front" she told them. "On the stage" Deca looked and caught Thom's eye. She was interesting.

Something about her was different, she looked so much like a Spartan II of the past and stood like master chief would have done. There was something going on, something he wanted to find out. An Elite stood up from the table on the stage and Deca if possible stood even straighter than it was physically possible.

"Sir" She saluted the headmaster elite, Thom guessed.

"Hello I am the Arbiter. Thankyou Deca for greeting our new recruits" Deca nodded and walked out of the hall.

Where was she going? Thom asked himself mentally, the Arbiter looked along the recruits, he then turned and went down a hall as they followed him out of the hall.

"This academy has been open for twenty years, as you all known by two of the most known Spartans in the universe," He started their history lesson, telling them about the battles of the war and after when the academy was first opened.

Then said the most interesting thing yet, "When you get a new name it will have something based on you, Deca's full new name is December based on the month she first approached black ranking, what you chose is completely your choice but chose wisely you'll be adressed as such until the end of your tutorage" He informed them leaing them in a room to decide with instructions that once they were all ready to choose, they could come out.

"Not what you expect huh?" The red haired man asked.

"No it is so different and that girl...Deca has something about her, something I could never put into place that might happen. Why the remsemblence between her and all the photo's of Master Chief and his wife, is so close?" The curly haired guy asked.

"Maybe because she's his daughter" Thom joked.

"Well, that would make the no sponser and pure luck thing seem more likely than she just doesn't care" The blonde man answered.

"We can live a second life here, and your talking about another recruit! Still this is so awsome. I can't beleive-" the brunnette girl was cut off.

"That there is only ten minutes to chose before we take you back in as nameless, choose wisely here and now" A voice said behind them. A man in dark blue and black visored armour came in, then a man in gold and black armour with an EVA helmet. "I am the Actuarian and this is Tridial" the gold one introduced.

Tridial looked at them and was actually different than the Actuarian, less colder and less rougher, "Ahh this must be the Shepard of the Reach Academy" Tridial greeted Thom, who smirked, Shepard he liked it.

"What is your name?" Tridial asked them all. The blonde twins answered first, "Ice" the man said "Blaze" the woman said.

Ice and Blaze stood back from the line, the red haired man was next. He looked extremely nervous for someone who was the tallest there. "Cameo" he chose.

The brunnette woman chose 'Andromeda' and the curly haired guy chose 'Beta'. They all had names except Thom who looked at the Tridial and Actuarian last. "Shepard" he lifted his chin a bit higher than it was.

The Tridial studied him close. As Thom left the Actuarian looked as Tridial with a heavily sigh, "You think he is her hope?" He asked.

"If Cortana doesn't stop running to nothing that isn't there because her parents let her change her name to Deca. John and Kelly may lose their daughter forever and besides she can throw a bet off anyday" The Tridial answered.

"That boy, may lose one of the cards to my full house" the Actuarian responded.

"Then he'd have three of a kind, that would let's him win the match and be a the hero" Tridial answered the unknown question.

"Then he'd never give that card back that I am missing" Actuarina bluntly refused to beleive this.

"That would be...a likely outcome. But whatever lost would come back" Tridial said wondering outside.

Their plan would start and the times ahead would be the hardest for any soldier student that came through.

Shepard went into the hall and sat with the group he was with. No matter how much he looked around for the blue haired girl she wasn't in the room. He turned back to his meal and headed to the room he was sharing with Beta who he found out was extremly crafty at lock picking when bored and a good friend to have, five minutes and they got along so well, mainly because he let Shepard have the top bunk in their room.

Thom picked up his laptop from the only bag he brought with him and face timed some of his mates back home. To which he found out that they had been waiting, like forever, just to hear how the academy looked and felt. It was basically a metal paradise that consisted of plants and glass along the way giving it a more natural and needed look to it. He said goodnight and shut it off hesitantly.

That was it they had been chosen. He was the Shepard of the Academy now where to find December? Shepard closed his eyes and rolled over closing his eyes, it felt like a blink because as soon as he opened it, Ice was in their telling them that they had to get up and head to the training room. First day and they were already starting training. Only good thing was during the first few days while getting to adjust, it was visiting day for parents for a few hours then they had to wait another month to see family.

Shepard had never had such a workout in his life when training though. Little did he know it could only get worse.

A lot worse!

He walked into one of the spare rooms, looking for a place to rest when he saw Deca talking to two adults, a tall man with the same blue eyes as her and a woman with dyed blue hair that matched her. "Cortana we don't want you to push yourself" the woman said. Cortana? The AI that served with Chief? Wait a sec...that guy was Cheif. Why was Deca with Master Chief?

"I know mum but-" she got cut off by the man.

"No but's you take care of yourself" He said.

"I promise Dad" she answered.

Dad? Shepards eyes widened.


	3. Chapter 3 revelation

Deca walked out of the room, it felt good being able to see her parents again without all the secret guards nearby for 'her' protection. True they never actually supported her decision to join the Academy but they hadn't completely shot the idea down.

Being the daughter of Master Chief was kind of hard for people to swallow, and for her best interests her parents decided if they were to raise her it was to be in private, they did every thing a normal family could do, but it was never...just them it was always someone else there.

Deca was sick of it and decided to get out the best way she could, her mother knew the fact she could never have her own life if they continued like this, but as for her dad...that was another subject entirely. Whenever he looked at her he saw Cortana, not her Cortana his friend the AI she thought bitterly. What had she done to get Cortana's name?

She was actually grateful that in spare time recruits were allowed out of armor. It helped relax them a lot, get massages to receive the muscle pains, get dressed up for celebration, even just sunbathe especially those who actually admitted they wanted to get a tan.

Deca was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't realise someone following her. She quickly turned off but they were good at following. Probably a trainer scout looking for a target, she thought. Deca turned around a corner and hid against the wall waiting for whoever was following her, bingo!

She reached for her target, slammed them against the wall and placed a hand over their mouths to stop them from screaming.

One of the new recruits, she recognised "You'd do well as a scout," Deca said. "Just try to make sure not to fall for that trick" she added.

"I know who you are" Shepard was it? Said to her.

"What are you talking about?" Deca held her grip on him.

"Master Chief" was all he said before she released him.

She turned and ran, Shepard chased after Deca as fast as he could, they ended up outside in the gardens and it was dark so no-one was able to see them, she hid down by the passing stream, Shepard almost missed her except her blue eyes made her stand out.

"gotcha" he pulled her into a backwards lock.

"Let me go!" She squealed.

"Not until you tell me what's going on with you and Master Chief?" he ordered.

"You already know, let me go" She shrugged away from him.

"Just tell me and trust me already! Why don't you admit your his daughter?" he nearly yelled gripping her arm tighter.

Deca sunk to the ground and buried her head into her lap. She looked up at him, her blue eyes pierced into him, Shepard kneeled down to her and looked her straight in the eyes, not a lot of people did that with her. "You can never tell anyone" she warned.

"Why hide that?" Shepard asked.

Deca's fringe fell onto her face, "I want my life and I could never have it when all anyone saw was a shadow of my father. I love him...just sometimes it isn't easy on both of us" she answered.

"I won't tell" he mumbled to her.

"What?" she looked up at him once more.

"I won't tell, if you don't tell that I got beat by a girl in a chase" Shepard mumbled.

Deca almost smiled. "If only it were that easy" she quoted her 'uncle' Arbiter.

"It is" he sat down next to her.

"Then show me" she responded. "Cause I sure as hell ain't trusting you until you trust me" Deca showed him the fear in her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4 Take one win one

Shepard entered the training room. He hadn't seen Deca in two days, because she was busy and some other stuff had happened that required her to go back home, where ever that was for her.

He entered to find Ice and Blaze there arguing over who got the biggest knife,

Cameo, Andromeda, Beta were talking and discussing things. He came down to them, "Hey what's up?" he asked.

"Teams are being separated your with the twins, and we are together. Tridial chose the teams" Beta informed him.

"You're kidding!" Shepard moaned.

"Nope, that guy is really messing with us, at least he wasn't as bad as the Actuarian who wanted to choose to split the teams" Cameo joined them.

"We stick together alright? Despite the different teams, we stick together" Shepard told them. They responded by nodding and murmuring their answers Shepard didn't know what that meant but he took it as good and yes. The Tridial entered the room and wrote up the board of who was in what place. Shepard's mouth hing open upon reading it. He was team leader! Of Whisper squad?

"Echo and Whisper squad, seriously?" Blaze looked at the sheet.

"Yes they were chosen from the board list, I believe Deca and Chief selected them" Tridial explained.

"Since they are the highest ranking they got to choose. Echo for Beta's squad and Whisper for Shepard's, now please start your tests and evaluations" he ordered, same tests as it had been for the past two weeks, learn your strengths and weaknesses and chose a skill.

He'd so far passed most of them and in his spare time hanged out with the rest of his team and Deca privately when he could, some reason despite being daughter of the Master Chief she was shy and quiet around a lot of people but when she had to be, she was loud and brave. He liked that about her, she could do whatever she wanted and no one knew she had done anything at all.

He grabbed the guns with paint balls locked the clip in place and began shooting his targets, he didn't even notice the door open behind them and his familiar friend with blue-brown hair stormed in with a file in her hand. She slammed it on the nearest table that held guns and was closest to the Tridial.

Shepard was almost scared of her, Deca had absolute rage on her face and boy it was scary! And her black ODST armour made it worse than her face, she looked like a proper badass. "I'm being transferred from Delta squad to Whisper?" She demanded.

"Deca I wonder-" Tridial was explaining.

"No! What is going on?" Deca cut him off.

The Tridial walked over to conference room "Deca in here now!" Tridial pointed in and Deca reluctantly followed.

They muffled yelling could be heard from the room Ice rolled his eyes, Blaze however couldn't control her laughter. Shepard raised an eyebrow at the two "What's so funny?" He asked.

"Your girlfriend cracked it at the Tridial and not the Actuarian for once" Blaze answered.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Shepard responded.

"Still have you seen the amount of times the Actuarian has pulled her out of the classes, she's been pulled more times than anyone here put together" Andromeda put into their conversation.

Deca came out and joined the group, she went near the loading station and started loading her weapon. "As I was about to announce before, Deca is to be put into Whisper as their second in command, I shall leave you all to it" Tridial left.

Ice went up to Deca and got her attention, she faced him and crossed her arms. "I don't have a clue what they are pulling by putting me with new recruits" she said immediately.

"Neither" They all responded.

Deca shook her head "This doesn't make sense" She leaned against the bench and ran her fingers through her long hair. "I've been Delta's leader for two years and in all my time here they have never mixed leaders with different squads" she informed.

"Something big coming our way, I don't know what but whatever it is it's going to rock this world" Deca added.

"What should we do?" Andromeda asked.

"Hold on as much as you can" Deca responded. "Because if you ain't strong enough you're gonna get blown over"

* * *

Shepard entered the gym and was Deca taking her anger out on a punching bag with a picture of a man on it who he didn't know. "Hey" he said.

Deca stopped and redid her footing, "Hey" she responded throwing a punch hitting the picture of the mans nose.

"Who's he?" Shepard asked.

"Major Silva, or General, the bastard who deposed the academy becoming created. Hates Spartans and their offspring" She threw a harder punch.

"When I was born along with my little brother, you will not believe how far he went to try to get me aborted or taken away from my parents. Lord Hood however before his passing away placed a safe guard around all Spartan children so he couldn't hurt us" She added.

"Rough" Shepard responded.

"Yeah, he didn't really like us Spartans, only ODST" she said.

"I was born by two ODST commanders" He told her. Deca half smiled an apology to Shepard and he went and held the bag still for her to hit, she gave it a lower left jab and right knee kick.

"I don't have a problem with them, I just don't like that much. They attacked a Spartan right after the augmentations, it was four against one and then after the Spartan beat them, they held a grudge ever since for one mess up" Deca explained the rivalry between the two groups. She stopped hitting the bag and straightened up properly and looked at him.

"Have you... uh? I don't know how to ask this" she shrugged a piece of her blue hair away from her face.

"Do what?" he asked genuinely interested.

She took off the gloves and was done for the night. Finally she came back to him. "Do you know how to dance?" she asked. Shepard's face was priceless. She laughed and couldn't stop!

"I'm kidding, what I wanted to ask is have you got a proper family back home?" she asked properly this time.

"I have a little sister and brother called Emily and Arron, who are twins and thirteen. Emily is studying harder than anyone I know to get in and Arron is looking out for her" He said. "What about you? Other than the Master Chief and famous fastest runner of the Spartans Kelly 087?" he asked.

"Little brother called Sam that's it, haven't talked to him in years because when I'm here he's on break and when I'm home he's away. When he joined a new school recently I hoped that could change, but, no luck" she answered.

Shepard and Deca headed back into the recreation room. The twins were versing Andromeda and Cameo in a game of pool and having a few non alcoholic drinks. Beta stayed up on the desk eating dinner and they all sat down together. "So who's XO?" Cameo eventually asked them.

Shepard looked at Deca for an answer. She had just started eating her dinner which smelled like chinese food. "Team vote for XO, if draw the two contenders have to either sort it out or another familiar squad chooses the XO suitable for that group" She told them.

"Really?" Ice asked her.

"Well in the old days, it used to be whoever didn't get knocked out first" She joked to them for the first time making them fall about on the floor.

"I think you should be XO then" Blaze said.

"Really? Why?" Shepard asked.

"Well this way we don't go wandering around with bruises on our head and she wins the place either way" Ice answered for Blaze.

"Point taken, well Deca?" Shepard asked her.

She stood up raising her glass. "I would be honoured to serve as an XO to a bunch of rooks called the Whispers" she toasted. They all did the same in response, "Welcome to the real Spartan academy, now the fun begins".


	5. Chapter 5 gliding floors

_Two months later..._

_"Beep"_

_"Beep"_

_"BEEEEEEEEPPPPP"_

"Shut the frigging alarm clock off already!" Beta moaned. "We're up!"

Shepard hit his alarm clock. "What time is it?" he asked anyone in the room.

"It's your alarm clock! You set it you should know!" Beta yelled muffled by a pillow.

Ice answered the question properly though, seeing as he was up and everyone else was still tired. "Seven thirty, hurry up! Deca is in the training room against simulations today. You don't want to miss your girlfriend fighting, do you?" he asked.

"For the last time! SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Shepard screamed tiredly at him.

"And yet you call each other nicknames?" Ice pointed out.

"So what? Me and Cemmi usually fight with each other. It's called choosing a strategy from my smartass XO. Now only if we were really officers I could kick her ass and get her changed" Shepard used her nickname.

Seeing as she was December and everyone called her Deca he chose to call her Cemmi to annoy her. Only when he wanted her to be mad at him, which was not as often as people thought. Though they did argue a lot they always had gotten along. Especially with her little secret.

She decided to annoy him back by calling him a sheep, and teased him by asking if he wanted a carrot to munch on.

Ice and Blaze came up to the two in the middle of the screaming match and made them both apologise before they threatened to make life hell for them in the dorms where they slept with squamates of their own gender at night.

"Okay then why did you say she smells like everything good in this world?" Beta asked lifting his head from the pillow.

"Because she does," he responded.

"Then what do you smell like?" Ice answered smirking. "Don't answer and I prank you an Deca" he responded.

The two learnt to be quiet as the twins were masters at pranking people and they knew better than to actually let that happened around here. Especially if they wanted to be alive the next time they got the okay to go home.

Shepard quickly got him armour on. Because now he was of blue ranking, he had blue armour exactly the dark blue color of Deca's hair is. He headed down to the training room as the simulation started.

"Round beginning" The Tridial announced.

"The simulation is set to covenant forces, your mission destroy them. There will be banshee's and other vehicles that could be included so keep an eye out" he warned them.

He was also kind enough to have explained the rules "It's simple enough. The aliens are actually robots with holographic projection of whatever one is attacking Deca for this example. They only shoot paint. The aim is to survive and hit the button as soon as all targets are eliminated!"

Shepard faced the window seeing down below. Deca entered the training room ready to get started. She meant business and in everyone else's books that meant war!

* * *

Deca walked in while the two activated the controls for the simulation. They chose covenant forces for her to verse and Deca knew how to handle them easy, killing ugly green floating runny things that spoke a weird language was in her blood.

They all watched as she grabbed the plasma grenade from a Grunt. Deca lit it and tossed it up in the air and stuck to the Banshee that was swooping low. Because these are robot forces the impact and equipment was all real except for the firepower, which was paint.

The Banshee exploded into pieces and crushed five Grunts. She grabbed a Needle Rifle from one of the dead grunts and headshot a Jackal, Deca gracefully flew by all the slaughter.

The two above clicked some buttons messing with the gravity and turning the floor to go diagonal making Deca fall over and slid on her back.

She used this to her advantage and decided to grab a frag grenade which was strapped to her back and tossed it at a ghost that was nearby, her lucky throw landed the grenade in the seat of the driver, it exploded and the 'elite' driving jumped out but got caught in the explosion dying;

Deca got and pulled herself to the centre she was almost there, she reached up the column and there….she activated the button to stop the simulation, the room went straight but Deca lay on the floor catching her breath she leaned her head against the column where the button was situated and started gasping for air.

Never again would she volunteer to show rooks how to kick covenants ass without someone with her. Her team came down to help her and she looked at them her blue hair all over her face.

"I hate you all so much!" She said before faking going to sleep on the floor so she wouldn't have to walk back.

Shepard picked her up bridal style and carried her to the recreation room for them to study today's events. Deca pretended waking up very fast, once he dumped her on the couch and mumbled something to her about taking her armour and painting it all pink. Definitely got her attention!

"So kid's what did we learn from me sliding all over the floor today?" She asked.

"Get gravity boots" Blaze offered her. Deca mockingly nodded.

"What else?" she asked.

"Carry extra grenades but not enough to slow you down" Blaze said.

Deca nodded again and pointed to Ice asking for an answer. "Time your attacks correctly and don't stuff up!" He answered.

"Bingo. Shepard your turn" Deca handed it over to him.

Shepard started off. "We need to know area's we specialise in. Deca can obviously blow things to hell but we need something else. I can do strategies over in my head, I've seen how good Ice is with sniping and doing medical gear so we have a marksmen/medic. Deca also knows that Blaze," he got her attention

"Is best as a mechanics. You seem to know a lot about tech we're we don't know anything. Anyone has objections to their designations?" he asked.

No one did.

"Good dismissed" he said.

Deca stood up first and left quickly. "What's gotten into her?" Ice asked.

"No clue, Shepard do you know?" Blaze asked.

"She's tired that's all" he said.

"Take her on a date" they both said.

"And where do you propose I take her?" he asked.

The twins smiled wickedly. "Well..."


	6. Chapter 6 The date

Deca got up from her bed, it was the middle of the night and someone was tapping at her door. "Just a minute" she said.

They were allowed to wander around the academy just not alone at night. If they did they had to be accompanied by a training droid, which she would not be caught doing. Those droids were just so embarrassing! Especially hers which was called Mendez, it was so annoying by picking up after her that Deca got annoyed and was why she deactivated it, only turning it on when inspections happened and it was needed. Deca opened the door and found Shepard with a bunch of blue flowers in his hands.

Deca shook her head smiling. "What are you doing?" She asked crossing her arms and staring at him. She leaned against the door frame amused at him dressed in casual clothes instead of armour. He looked nice, she decided.

"Nice Pyjamas" She looked down and saw she was in light blue track suit pants, purple long-sleeved crossover top and wearing boots which she was sure were uggies. (I'm Australian don't blame me!)

"Is there a reason you're here with flowers or just to annoy me about my sleeping clothes?" she asked.

"I'm taking you out on a date" He said handing them to her, Deca laughed and shook her head even more. "I'm serious, I want you to have fun with me and to prove it…here" he handed her the flowers and she smelt them.

"Mmnnn…blue lavender" she moaned at the aroma.

Then he placed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a chain and placed it around her wrist. Deca smiled and felt like a little kid getting a Christmas present, she nodded with her blue eyes sparkling, as he placed it on her.

"Where are we going then? And why me?" she asked.

"That's a surprise and because you have never been on a real date before from what you've told me, so consider this a treat" he said.

Before she could respond Shepard had her hand and was taking her to the garages and then climbed with her on a mongoose as he took them out to a field. Deca looked around; there was a picnic rug and basket but the grass and wild flowers everywhere, she smiled in joy.

"How did you find this place?" she asked.

"Twins were the one who told me about it, they said your father used to take your mother here all the time. According to their parents who knew yours because they were Spartans as well" His voice answered her.

Deca looked at him and smiled, "I heard once or twice about that and when I looked for it, never found it" she responded.

They sat down nibbling on snacks, and finally laying down to watch the stars, they were shooting across the place everywhere.

"I never thought how beautiful this place was" Deca answered she shivered and Shepard pulled her into his body warmth she accepted and started resting her head on his chest keeping him warm at the same time.

"Hey look shooting star," Shepard pointed out, Deca scrunched her eyes closed and mumbled something he couldn't make out, "What was that?" he asked.

"I made a wish, your turn" she said.

"Hmm….I wish a blue brown-haired girl would tell me why she is so defiant to her parents" he teased her. Deca shot him a glare, but not for the reason he thought.

"You're not supposed to tell me" She said.

"I didn't that was a second wish, my first is still yet to be answered," he said.

"I guess…my little brother Sam, when he first wanted to apply but our parents wouldn't let him. I got so mad at them being protective with us, I signed up straight away when I hit age" she said.

Deca had a little brother? Why didn't she mention him before? She probably had and he had forgotten it.

"Where is he now?" Shepard asked her suspiciously.

"Training like he wants to" Deca answered poking him. He fidgeted. "Don't poke me," he warned her.

"Why, are you ticklish?" she sent him a grin sitting up from him.

"No just don't poke me," She poked him again. "Do that once more and I'll- No stop! Please!" He half begged and screamed as she tickled him and leaning on him.

He pushed her off and Deca slowly began and mockingly backed away from him, Shepard ran up to her and wrapped a hand around her waist pulling her to the ground laughing. He caught her gaze and pulled her in gently kissing her.

Deca smirked when he pulled away, "Took you time" she said.

"What you knew?" he asked her a bit freaked out about just how much she knew.

"Blaze and I walked past you talking to Beta and Ice about it, something about me not being your girlfriend, just so you know I think you smell like Christmas" she said as they lay back down again in each other's embrace.

He walked her back to her dorm and she turned placing a lasting kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight Thom" she said.

"Goodnight Cemmi" she raised an eyebrow. "It suits you Deca," was all he said. Deca shrugged and smiled. It was like melted chocolate, a kick ass training session and rised the point where she smelt everything good in this world.

"I like it" she said turning to go inside.

Shepard slipped back inside after kissing Deca goodnight outside her room. He had hoped his roommates wouldn't be up. He was wrong. They were up and by the door waiting for him to come in. He officially hated them!

"So Romeo, how did it go?" Ice asked him.

Shepard sat down on his bunk smiling hoping to play around with the two friends, "Oh the way she looked…oh how she talked and oh how she…"

"Just tell us!" Beta demanded.

"She tasted like fireworks and shooting stars" Shepard responded.

Ice and Beta looked at each other in disbelief. "He kissed Deca! He kissed her?" Beta questioned half amused.

"Why? What's wrong with that?" Shepard asked,

"Well nothing, we just have no clue why she kissed you and not one of us" Ice answered.

Shepard nearly tackled him to the ground, if he was not in such a good mood he probably would have. He turned on his side and went to sleep; time could wait he was too busy having fun.


	7. Chapter 7 Hit the books

Shepard looked over his textbook. He started banging his head on the table. "Why? Why? Why?" He asked. "Why?"

Beta finally snapped and glared at him. They had been over this at least seven times! "Because we need to study! Now stop talking or I'll get the twins and Deca took made you do a training session you won't forget!" He said.

"But why do team leaders and second in commands only have to study?" Shepard asked him.

Deca came into the little study room hired out to the two teams she looked over the textbook in her hands. "Believe me the paperwork we used to get two years ago was a bitch. This is a lot better" She confirmed by looking at the textbook on her notes to his.

"That's wrong Shepard. You know you don't set up a perimeter, you set up a patrol to go as recon, then that serves as a distraction and send in the heavy artillery later" She pointed to one paragraph he had written.

"But why only us?" Shepard turned to her.

"Because of being team leaders you're not allowed to screw up. You have to be absolutely sure you know what you are going to do in a combat situation if we get screwed over" Deca explained.

"But what if leader and second dies and the others have no clue what to do?" He asked.

Deca thought for a bit. "Rendezvous with another team, call in backup or your boned" She admitted.

"December?" Beta asked looking at her.

"Yeah Beta?" She was curious. A sign of the way she was tilting her head and had her arms crossed, Shepard was about to warn Deca to not get curious that always led down a bad path.

"You suck at helping us with this, you don't get as much" he complained.

"I used to, thank god for the transfer. It's a pain in the neck likely to cause you a bruise" She said.

"What like the one Shepard gave you that night you went out?" Beta asked receiving a whack and a glare from the other two students.

"Where is Andromeda anyway? Isn't she your second?" Deca looked around for the other female student.

"She and Cameo are studying sparring tactics in the training room with Ice and Blaze. I really don't know how she got it all done in under two hours!" Beta answered.

Shepard looked at the two, they got on really weirdly like brother and sister fights like he did with Emily. "Hey guys, want to call it a night?" He asked the two.

Deca slammed down her book and Beta ran out of the room at the end of the sentence. No one he knew could ever run that fast at the mention of quits but Beta had just proved him wrong.

"You have your answer from Beta" Deca said. Shepard looked over his textbooks rubbing his eyes trying to get it right but failing not to either feel frustrated or fall asleep.

"But not mine, I need to get this done" He said.

Deca came over and rubbed his shoulders trying to loosen the tenseness in them. "Wanna play sniper shots?" She asked.

"Sniper whats?" He asked.

"Shots, here come on. It's a game" she said leading him down to the shooting range.

Deca hired out two paintgun sniper rifles and threw one to him. She also made a stop along the way to the kitchens and grabbed two shot glasses and a big bottle of coffee.

"Now normally when you play this game you use alcohol. But because we are seventeen and underage at the academy and don't want to get expelled we use coffee instead." She poured two shots and handed one to him. "Don't drink it!" Deca scolded him.

Shepard loaded his riffle. "So whats the aim?" He asked.

"Drink the shot of coffee and try to hit as many targets as possible under a minute" She answered him.

"Okay lock and load let's get this started" He said.

Deca smiled. "With pleasure Sheep" He winced.

"No nicknames, let's call this a truce for tonight" Shepard decided for the two and Deca reluctantly nodded.

"Ready...go!" She yelled. He drunk it down fast and loaded the gun, pulling the trigger back and looking down the scope, once, twice, three times he reloaded and the alarm went off. He hit three clips of targets in under a minute,

"Nice a few headshots and heart one. Your getting better but you need to work on aiming down the scopes" Deca said smirking as she took her position. He smiled back two could play this game.

"Your footing is wrong. Here like this" he said.

Shepard lifted her arm a little and repositioned her feet after she yelped when he tickled her from behind her knee, he then moved his hands to her hips placing his head on her shoulder. She looked a little at him carefully not moving her head.

"You right there?" she asked. He muffled his answer into her shoulder and she shook a little.

"What?" she asked.

"You're comfy" he said lifting his head up a bit.

Deca lowered the gun as he started kissing along her neck, they rocked gently back and forth like they were waltzing around. He turned her around and Deca placed her arms around Shepard's neck as they presumed kissing.

"Oh god guys! We know you are in love but that's too far!" they heard someone say,

"Dammit Beta" she whispered.

"That killed the moment" Shepard muttered and she slightly but knowingly giggled.

"Guys get a room" Ice joined Beta in mockingly throwing up.

"That's why we chose the firing range Ice" Shepard shouted.

Cameo and Andromeda came to see what the fuss was about and had to drag Ice and Beta away (they also took their turn to pretend to be a bit childish which made Shepard say some colorful words). Deca rolled her shoulders back a little.

"Come on cap, we have work to do" she said.

"But I thought this was a night off?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Not that kind of work" she said.

They headed back to the recreation room sitting on the couch, he wrapped an arm around Deca pushing some of her hair out of her faceas she closed her eyes falling asleep on his chest as they turned on the movie channel.

"Goodnight December" Shepard kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight Shep, sweet dreams" she mumbled.


	8. Chapter 8 Don't forget the music

"School exams are a pain!" Deca said stretching out on the couch.

"Yeah but holidays are after, where are you spending yours?" Shepard said playing with her hair as her head lay on his lap. She leaned back her head so she could see his eyes.

"With one of the other Spartans or with Mum, Dad not so much. He's too busy and I'd be alone which is usual" Deca said shrugging.

"Well," he started.

"Well what?" Deca asked. He shook his head to say no. "Thom you can tell me now what?" She asked.

"What if I asked you to come with me to my home and then I go to yours so we split the holidays with both our families?" he suggested.

Deca sat up raising an eyebrow. "You do know who my father is right? And if he met you...well you wouldn't exactly come off second best or even at best" She called on the face who her father was.

"Deca, I'm dating you, I love you and I am going to tell your father that nothing is going to stop that even if he sets the whole UNSC army after me" Shepard said.

She laughed half giggling. "If he did, I don't think there would be much time for running, and since you admitted it first I love you too" Deca agreed.

"Well in that case" he bent down kissing her nose and forehead making her giggle a little too much.

"Cue romantic music get some candles...oh that too" She said as he moved down to her lips. "

So you agree?" Shepard questioned her. "Because if you refuse I can easily get you to bend into my will"

"Do I have much choice?" She questioned her.

"No" Shepard bluntly put.

"Well I always wanted to see a normal family," Deca pulled him down to kiss more.

* * *

Deca packed her small duffle bag and took down some pictures she wanted to show some things to her many aunts and uncle's when she reached her base. There was a knock at the door as Beta entered.

"Hey sis," He said.

"Hey Sam, how are you finding the Academy?" Deca asked.

"It's amazing! No wonder you wanted to leave home early" Beta exclaimed.

"Yeah, so you heading home?" Deca asked.

"No"

"No?" Deca raised a brow.

"I'm going to stay with Andromeda, the twins and Cameo at a lake house. We knew Shepard asked you to stay with him so we didn't bother asking you, but the invitation is stil open" Beta sat down on the bed in her room. "Dad and I...he just doesn't want me to be here because he thinks I'm going to be become a machine Cortana! I just...he doesn't get the fact that I want to do this to help people!" Beta cried.

Deca sat down next to him. "That's the first time you have called me Cortana since we first got here. Look Sam, Dad is trying his hardest with us. It's not exactly like they taught him and our many aunts and uncles to be kind and gentle or even have kids! Just...give him a break!" Deca hugged her little brother.

"Dad doesn't...he is just...okay, remember when I was ten and your were seven, it was Halloween and I dressed up as a witch, you dressed up as a brute from the covenant. Dad freaked because he saw your costume and I had to change you into a caveman. It's his memories not you that he thinks are the problem, and we are growing up so it's harder for him to learn he can't protect us forever. Just don't try to grow up too fast, he'll never get to have us back" She explained.

"Thanks Cortana, you better go Shepard will kill you if your late" Beta smirked.

"Hey don't you dare start, no one knows your my brother yet," He was about to interrupt. "And you got squad leader, like me, like Dad and like every other one in our large family we have to keep secrets now excuse me I am staying at a normal family for a while"

Deca grabbed her duffle bag giving her brother a hug and rushing out to the main hall where Shepard was waiting with his suitcase as he frowned at her bag.

"You can pack more if you want" He said.

"I don't own anymore stuff then what is in here, moving around so much stopped by parents from getting me stuff, Mum didn't even tell Dad she had been pregnet until a year and a half after I had been born. Biggest shock when he came home from a mission that took nearly over two years" Deca shrugged.

Shepard decided to tease her a little. "We get married and have kids, if you get pregnant first thing you do it tell me!" He said making her halter.

"Deca?" He asked stopping to look at her.

Deca shook her head "It's silly"

"Tell me" Shepard grabbed her hand leading her to the pelican that would take them to Shepard's home.

"I...I never fantasized about those things when I was a kid so I just...don't think about it now" She answered a bit shocked. He wrapped an arm around her.

"Trust me my mother is going to give you an earful when we get there so start! And Emily wll be just as bad" Shepard said.

"Oh god! You think that's bad, wait until you see my family" Deca cried.

"Why? What are they like?" Shepard queeried.

"Oh, super strong and bloody tall! Scary, Happy, sometimes machine like. But they are as close to a normal family as they can get when they are raised as soldiers from birth" She described her family.

And like what her uncles aunts cousins like the twins because their family was in the SPARTAN II program and other various family members were like. Definitely not what he thought happened at a normal family. How she described their holidays were funny, but when it counted they could see the way they loved each other. Shepard smiled.

"You must really love them" He said.

"I do, we take care of each other just as we always do"


	9. Chapter 9 Happy Holidays

Shepard noticed Deca getting nervous and tense, he told her to calm down but she just shrugged and said that she would be fine if she wasn't cpncentrating on her own family and how they would react to the fact she was dating another SPARTAN trainee. They changed from uniform to casuals Deca with her hair down more bluer than ever, wearing a stylish black leather jacket blue shit and matching black jeans and Shepard a plain white T-shirt with black pants

Deca walked hand in hand with Shepard as she held her duffle bag in the other as he did the same with the suitcase in his hand. Deca sighed looking around the landing field in the city while looking for his family, the different sutdents rushing to greet their familes for the people who wished they were in now in the academy sneering at the students with jelousy.

Deca always hated crowds, they made her feel like there were too many people for someone to find her. She felt her knees go weak as she nearly collaspsed and went pale. Shepard noticed grabbing her shoulder and sitting her down on a side bench.

"Deca..." He soothed her down.

"I just...it's too croueded. Sorry I'm fine" She tried to shrug him off. He sat down kissing her head.

"Listen blue, yes that's a new nickname. We'll sit for a while and my family can come find us until the crowd's die out. Okay just relax" He said humming against her hair and looking at the blue in it with less brown that he originally thought.

"Okay" she nodded breathing in and out. "I can't stand large crowds they remind me of funerals too much" Deca calmed her breathing.

Shepard looked around holding Deca close so she would calm down as she slowly felt her legs come back. A young girl shouted out what sounded like his name enough for Deca to hear.

"Thommy! Where are you!?". Deca looked up.

"Shepard who's Thommy?" She questioned as a young girl of eleven or twelve approached the bench with jumping glee.

"Thom!" She shouted running to Shepard who finally turned to see the girl.

"Emily! He noticed as she hugged him but he stayed on the bench next to Deca who smiled a little, she had some color return to her skin as she kept breathing deeply.

Shepard then grabbed Deca as they both got up, Emily made her eyes go so wide when she saw them hold hands.

"Thom who is she?! What's her name now!?" The girl demanded.

"Emily you ask her because I am lucky I know her and can call her my girlfriend. And by the way _she can hear you!_" He whispered the last part.

Deca smirked remembering how to play with kids but only a little came to her. "Hi Emily I am Deca your brother told me about you" She said in a trusting voice.

"Deca? What kind of name is that? Are you a holographic robot?" Emily asked.

Deca froze a little enough for Shepard to notice but not Emily.

"No it's short for December, my real name is Cortana but I go by Deca because at the Academy we get to rename ourselves" Deca explained.

Emily jumped up and down. "So your a Spartan! I thought only boys could be Spartans!" Emily yapped taking an instant liking to Deca.

"Most Spartans were men, only a few were girls because back in the war you had to have a certain gene pool to be allowed to become one otherwise the armor wouldn't work on you. So very few girls could do it because the gene mostly occured in men. But those who were girls kicked the boy's butts!" Deca shot a smirk to Shepard.

"And that's why you don't argue with Mum, okay? She's a woman" Shepard added poking Emily.

Shepard told Emily to wait a while until the crowds died down so Deca didn't freak put again and have a panic attack. Emily told Deca all about her school and what she did in her spare time while Deca just listened to it, Shepard smiled seeing them get along, and Deca said she didn't do families well when she was clearly becoming friends with his little sister while the landing field got less crowded they stood up.

Deca smiled and rolled her head onto Shepard's shoulder as they walked again, Deca smiled at Shepard when he asked if she was really okay after having the almost faint. She just kissed his cheek and told him she would be fine if it wasn't as busy as before, he kept her close while Emily kept talking to her as if they were old friends. Shepard however gulped as they reached outside where a woman in her forties leaning against a car with a not so impressed look.

"Thomas James Troy! Where have you been?" She demanded.

Deca felt him grip her arm tighter a little scared. "Mum I can explain, you see when we first landed-" His mother finally saw Deca standing there holding hands with Shepard while Emily laughed and jumped around.

"Oh! You must be December, I'm Rebecca Thom's mother"


	10. Chapter 10 reminder

Hey guys I know I haven't updated in ages but I am here to tell you all my stories are currently on halt. I am figuring a few things out and hope to be back In June at the least sorry if it's a long time to wait but I will be back soon. If you want to ask any questions do not hesitate to leave a review or PM my account.

Glacier

PS Thanks for being patient


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